Doesn’t matter what time of day, what season of the year, what place I’m in, if I want tasty comfort my entire self craves a big bowl of soup.

As far as soups go, I have concocted some, I religiously repeat some I grew up eating, and then there are others I’ve become enamored with as I’ve ventured deeper into my home country’s cuisine.

As soon as my feet touch new territory, I search for its signature soup: the one everyone knows; the one everyone loves; the one present at every home kitchen. As easy as it may sound, sometimes those soups stir away from restaurants. Luckily, the first meal we had during our trip to Chiapas included that soup.

It was at a touristy restaurant serving a regional specialties buffet. The broth was thick and brimming with Chipilí­n, an herb with a grassy taste (like a mellow version of spinach or a gentle variation of watercress) and a silky delicate bite. The best part of the soup was the corn masa dumplings, dfferent from other I’ve tried, these had queso fresco mixed in the masa or dough, resulting in fluffier balls with a deep soft bite.

A couple days later, I bought a big bowl of Chipilí­n soup at a small fonda in Chamula. I sat on the sidewalk and ate it as I watched the church procession pass by.

The Church of San Juan Chamula is one of Mexico’s most famous: probably the most controversial as well, for its wildly eclectic combination of indigenous, pagan and Catholic rituals. Not to mention it’s particular architecture and decorations.

This second version of the soup was lighter, yet it had much more color, like the doors in the photo above. A bit of tomato spiked the broth and I tasted a bit of green heat. Don’t ask me why it didn’t occur to me to take a photo of the soup. Instead, I took photos of the Señores below.

Tzotzil Mayas, which form part of one of the twelve indigenous groups that live in this state, were getting ready to walk in the procession, with their unique attire made with goatskin. Some men wear black, some wear white…and the women make skirts in the same style.

If you have never heard “Tzotzil”, a Maya language, you have missed listening to one of the sweetest sounds. As delicate as those Chipilí­n leaves…

Ok, back to the soup. That same day, I tried a third version.

A short ride away we landed in a restaurant with a sumptuous buffet that was different from the first. This one boasted a larger display of typical dishes from the region. Their Chipilí­n soup had a much clearer broth, as if the masa dumplings had been cooked separately from the final soup and incorporated in the end. It had less Chipilí­n leaves in the broth, making it look more elegant and light, and there was queso fresco to add as a garnish, as well as Mexican crema and small pieces of chicharrón.

I tried a fourth version in a restaurant near the Palenque ruins (which can take anyone’s breath away and I am just adding more photos of the ruins because I can’t help myself…)

…let me indulge… and yes I climbed up so high to look at that view…

… here is a close up…

Alright, back to the soup. This one had the smallest of masa balls, and different than the soups before, aside from having Chipilí­n in the broth, there was a generous amount of Chipilí­n chopped into the masa balls. It also had extra garnishes of more queso fresco and thick Mexican cream. But no chicharrón.

I did think about other things than trying more versions of the Chipilí­n soup and other foods I had no idea existed (which I will write about in other blog posts). Especially when we had the chance to learn about the insanely gorgeous textiles made in Chiapas…

Once at San Cristobal de las Casas, I tried one last version of the soup in one of the restaurants in that busy street below. This soup included corn kernels in the broth. The contrast of that sweet crunch next to the soft masa balls in the flavored broth worked so well!

No. I did not take a photo of it, because I didn’t know I was going to write about all the Chipilí­n soups I tried in Chiapas! Of course now I wish I had.

The good thing is that here is a recipe for you to try the soup.

You can find Chipilí­n in the US these days, especially in Latin markets in the Summer and Fall. I just found some at Panam market in DC.

It looks like this. It is so pretty I put a big bunch in a flower vase and admired it as I ate it away and the bunch kept getting thinner.

Here is a close up, so you can see just how delicate the leaves are…

If you can’t find it, you can substitute it with sliced baby spinach or watercress.

The recipe I am giving you here, was tested in my kitchen until I nailed down all the elements I enjoyed in the different versions: fluffy masa balls flavored with cheese, an abundance of Chipilí­n leaves in the broth but not in the masa balls, sweet crunchy corn seasoned along with the onion that makes the base of the soup, and cooking the masa balls in the soup so that as they cook, they thicken the broth. I find that extra thick broth to be irresisitible. It almost resembles atole or a very light porridge (in a good way).

Just like Chiapas is not so well known outside of Mexico, it’s cuisine remains to be enjoyed abroad. This soup has many of the features I recognized in the different meals I ate there: distinct, with a lot personality, yet at the same time homey, delicate and comforting. Thankfully, many of the ingredients used in Chiapas, are now accessible abroad too.

A good soup recipe, I’ve learned, always comes in handy. Especially if it takes you somewhere. This one takes me right back to Chiapas.

CHIPILíN SOUP WITH MASA AND CHEESE DUMPLINGS
Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ cup white onion, chopped
1 serrano chile, finely chopped, seeding optional, add more or less to taste
3 cups fresh corn kernels or thawed from frozen
8 cups chicken broth
3 cups packed chipilí­n leaves, rinsed
2 cups corn masa flour, or Maseca
1 ¾ cups water
8 oz or about 1 cup queso fresco, crumbled, may substitute for farmer’s cheese or a mild feta
½ cup vegetable shortening or lard
½ teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, divided
Mexican cream, optional, to garnish

TO PREPARE
Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has completely softened, the edges have begun to slightly brown and there is a sweet smell stemming from the pot. Add the chile, stir and cook for another couple minutes. Toss in the corn, stir and let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the chicken broth. While it comes to a simmer, prepare the masa for the dumplings.

In a bowl, combine the corn masa flour with the water, the vegetable shortening and a pinch of salt. Combine and knead with your hands until the dough is soft and homogenous, it will take a minute. Add the crumbled queso fresco and knead into the dough.

Once the soup comes to a gentle simmer, add the chipilí­n leaves. Once it is heated through, lower the heat to low and start shaping the dumplings. With your hands, make about 1 to 1½” balls, as you make them, gently drop them into the soup. Once you are done with all the balls, let the soup cook for about 20 more minutes. It should be gently simmering. The balls should be cooked through and as they cooked in the soup they should have thickened to the consistency of a thin porridge. But it will be a most delicious one! Serve hot. You may garnish with some fresh cream on top of each individual soup bowl.

This is why: I thought I knew cucumbers, I really did, until I visited Mr. Jose Luis Rodrí­guez Rojas’ cucumber green house in the state of Morelos, a state known as “Mexico’s Spring”. Cucumbers grown there are the slicers, ironically called pepino Americano or pepino común in Mexico. Slicers are the cucumbers mostly used in Mexico’s kitchens. And the ones I use all the time.

Now I know how little I knew about them.

Sure I have peeled, sliced, diced and julienned a gazillion and have used them in so many ways, from salads to sorbets. I know it’s taste: mild, watery, fresh, wanting to be lemony. I know it’s bite: soft yet crisp. I know the coolest trick to help them never be bitter (cut ends and rub the opposing sides before peeling).

But I had never seen their plants in their youngest form, as Miguel, one of the farmers showed me.

Nor was I aware, that after just one month of protected care, they grow to have jungle like looks and size.

Look at them!

If I could only embed here the moist and clean smell of the plants and the velvety feel of their immense fully grown leaves, I would be so pleased.

Much to my surprise, the flowers from where those huge cucumbers grow from are delicate and feminine. Their color a strong yellow that seems to want to fade right before your eyes, just as their petals seem to tell you to please be careful if you dare touch them.

There are male and female cucumber flowers and they are both as pretty. It is the female pollinated flowers, which grow a miniature baby cucumber right behind, covered in tiny-prickly-thin-like thorns that protect it as it grows. So they have ways of telling you not to touch them.

The flower holds on, as the cucumber grows. See below?

I marveled.

After a while, I had to make an effort to stop ooooohing and aaaaahing at every site (I have to act more my age, you know…).

After they pick the cucumbers, they clean them and pack them up.

Mr Jose Luis employs about 300 people a year. Each person I met, seemed proud about their job and meticulous in their care of the green house facilities and mostly, the plants. “No one kneels here to work”, Mr. Jose Luis repeated a couple times, “work here is worthy, dignified”. Truth is, it genuinely felt that way. It seemed that people felt vested in the business. Their faces lit up when I asked any question that popped out of my mouth (if you know me by now you know I have an endless stream of questions…).

Crazy Nacho Guani, who was filming with Cortez Brothers and I (for Season 2, which launches this weekend, yey!) was filming up there like a wild monkey (if you knew Nacho you’d know he climbs anything that has any height… )

Mr Jose Luis’ chest seems to burst as he talks about the history of his green house, more so about the vegetables he grows. He drastically changed careers, like I did too. He, also, has never looked back.

After spending the day, Mr Jose Luis, who could not have been more friendly, asked if we were hungry. We were starved. He immediately offered to take us to his favorite place for a late lunch-early dinner. But that’s another story.

Lesson learned, yet again: no ingredient, no single one is common. Even if it goes by the name pepino común, or common cucumber. Not even if you have used it a thousand ways and have chopped it a gazillion times.

Getting to know cucumbers, from flower to tops, made me think of so many new ways to use them. In a cold soup? With a bit of a bite from a jalapeño? With the wide echo from some mint? Topped with something sweet and crunchy and tart to make it all go wild in your mouth?

I played with the idea and once that I nailed a take I liked, I can’t stop making it.

Think of it as a Mexican tzatziki or as a white cucumber gazpacho of sorts… Or better yet, indulge me please and just make it. To boot: takes but 2 minutes in the blender.

p.s. Party or Holidays coming soon? Serve it in little mugs or cups for people to drink and munch along.

CUCUMBER, JALAPEÑO AND MINT SOUP WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS
Sopa de Pepino con Jalapeño, Menta y Granada

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups thick Greek yogurt
3 slicer/common cucumbers, about 2 1/2 pounds
1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon jalapeño, chopped or more to taste (seeding optional)
15 mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or more to taste
3/4 cup pomegranate seeds, or more to taste

TO PREPARE
Wash cucumbers, cut the ends and use them to rub the opposing cut ends of the cucumber. Peel and cut lengthwise into 4 long strips and slice off the seeds. Discard the seeds and cut into chunks.

In the jar of a blender, place the yogurt, cucumbers, red onion, garlic, jalapeño, mint, lime juice and salt.

Puree until smooth. Pour inside a mug or container and store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serve and sprinkle pomegranate seeds on top.

Fast forward 150 years to 2012: the French and Spanish are gone; Mexicans proudly celebrate Independence Day every September 16; yet, for reasons few of us can explain, Cinco de Mayo has become the greatest, most joyous, colorful celebration–for Mexicans living abroad. As strange as the nostalgia is, the longer I live abroad, the stronger the impact Cinco de Mayo has within my soul. These words fluff up like soft conchas right out of the oven, getting fluffier, sweeter and more comforting as the years go by.

As do so many Mexicans (and, increasingly, non-Mexicans), I celebrate anything that can be celebrated about our Mexicaness: our heritage, resilience, hard-working and accommodating nature, our warmth, hospitality, generosity, the vibrancy and richness of our music, dance and food. Above all, our tendency to tirar la casa por la ventana (to throw out the house through the window) when it comes to throwing a party.

Thankfully, as Cinco de Mayo celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, the spotlight is finally being cast on Puebla, the place where that famous battle took place. At last, the celebration that has become the rage beyond Mexico’s borders is coming back to the place where it originated. It’s about time!

Puebla is a hidden treasure, a colonial jewel with rich history, architecture, arts and culture, coupled with an exquisite overlay of modernity. Most important, its one of Mexico’s main culinary hubs.

Some of our most iconic (and most labor intensive) dishes come from Puebla, born in convents where Spanish and Mexican cuisines wedded so beautifully. There’s the classic mole Poblano, with its layers of complex flavors subtly coming together once in your mouth; and there’s the colorful chiles en Nogada whose red, white and green represents the Mexican flag.

Yet Puebla is also home to a bounty of homestyle accessible dishes like the chicken tinga and the corn torte. And it’s home to one of my favorite Mexican ingredients: the chile Poblano. See below? That is how many Poblano chiles I go through a week in my house.

This key ingredient has never ceased to charm me, from the moment I get it at the store to the moment I taste its exuberant, fruity flavor. It is, quite simply, sublime. Each time I cook a dish with a Poblano it feels like a celebration, as if I were right there in Puebla, but the party just happens to unfold inside of my home.

If you can’t get to Puebla anytime soon, try this soup for a Cinco de Mayo moment, be it Cinco or not.

Article written for and published by NBC Latino, poblano soup photo by Jack Foley.

CREAMY POBLANO SOUP
Crema Poblana

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped white onion
5 to 6 Poblano chile peppers, roasted or charred, sweated, peeled, seeded and diced (about 1 1/2 pounds total, or 1 1/2 prepared as mentioned)
2 cups corn kernels, shaved from a cooked fresh ear of corn, or cooked from thawed
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
3 cups chicken broth(may substitute for vegetable broth)
1 cup milk

TO PREPARE
Place a large soup pot over medium heat; add oil and butter. Once the butter melts and begins to sizzle, add the onion. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the onions have completely softened, everything is cooked through and the edges turn slightly brown (about 10 minutes total).

Add the Poblano chiles, stir and let them cook along with the onion for 3 to 4 minutes.

Make some room in the middle of the pot; add the corn and sprinkle the salt and pepper. Let everything cook, stirring occasionally, for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth. Let it come to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 additional minutes so the flavors start to blend. Reduce the heat to low, wait for about a minute, and slowly pour in the milk.

Heat the soup thoroughly for about 6 to 8 minutes, without letting it simmer or boil (if you do, it will appear curdled but still taste fine). Serve hot. Makes about 5 cups.

My “Lali,” liked to please him though. She had Austrian training in the kitchen and made exquisite and elegant foods. Once in Mexico, she fell in love with the cuisine and learned how to combine the two culinary traditions. And she was a master at it.

She created a classic dish out of her Mushroom-Jalapeño Matzo Ball Soup.

See? Just because you add a chile to something does not mean it gets a Mexican stamp. You have to know how to add it. How much to add. And most importantly, when to add and when not to….not every dish that is Mexican has a chile in it either.

She made a mushroom base with a traditional Mexican treatment. Gently cooked onion, garlic and chopped jalapeños (with the seeds please…), and once the mushrooms are added, the pot is covered so they will steam. Their liquids come out, then slowly dry up again and the mushrooms begin to brown.

It seems that the main division in the matzo ball world, is between those that like the matzo balls hard and those that like them fluffy. Cooks debate all the time on how to make them fluffy or hard: more egg or less egg, more oil or less oil, matzo meal or matzo mix…

My grandmother’s trick to make them fluffy was to add sparkling water. But just a tablespoon for a full recipe, if you add more, you have a messy mess that falls apart. And I always leave a bit of the mix apart without any, as it happens, I am the only one around here that likes them hard…

MUSHROOM AND JALAPEÑO SOUP

Serves 6-8 (makes 10 to 12 medium to large sized matzo balls)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup matzo ball mix

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste

4 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sparkling water, optional, to make the matzo balls fluffy

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped, seeded optional, more or less to taste

1/2 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean with cloth, sliced

3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste

8-10 cups chicken broth

TO PREPARE

In a large mixing bowl, combine the matzo ball mix, parsley, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of salt. In another small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with 1/3 cup of vegetable oil. Fold in the beaten eggs to the matzo ball mixture with a spatula. Add the sparkling water if you want the matzo balls fluffy, and mix well until well combine. Cover the mix and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

Bring about 12 cups of salted water to a rolling boil in a large soup pot. Bring heat down to medium and keep at a steady simmer. With wet hands, make about 1 inch balls out of the matzo ball mix and gently drop them into the water. Cover and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large cooking pot. Add the onion, garlic and chiles and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until they have softened. Incorporate the sliced mushrooms. sprinkle the salt, stir and cover with a lid. Steam the mushrooms for about 6 to 8 minutes.

Take off the lid and pour the chicken broth over the mushroom base. Once it is simmering, incorporate the already cooked matzo balls, without their cooking liquid, and serve.

For decades now, I’ve refused to replace it with another… And then, I tried a unique green version, Pozole Verde, Guerrero style. It has not surpassed my Pozole Rojo, but it is attempting to tie with it at my table. And that is a lot to say.

Treasured all around Mexico, pozole has many variations, mainly green, red and white. Each distinct and beautiful, and coincidentally, represent the colors of the Mexican flag. Since September is the month of Mexican independence and The Day of El Grito is just around the corner, there is no excuse not to find an excuse to celebrate! And in my mental Mexican dictionary, pozole equals celebration.

Pozole has been made for centuries, and according to Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, a Spanish missionary, Moctezuma -greatest Aztec Emperor of all times-, would honor the God of the Sun by eating and serving it. I don’t know though, what color it was!

What makes a pozole red or green is the seasoning sauce added to the stew. If there is no sauce, it is a white pozole. Though there are many kinds of green pozole, they all use green ingredients, and this one has: tomatillos,  epazote (or cilantro if you can’t find it), pumpkin seeds and jalapeños.

Making that green seasoning sauce is simple. Tomatillos, garlic and chile simmer in water until the color of the tomatillos changes from bright, happy and loud to a mellow green. The texture goes from firm, to very mushy, but not coming apart.

The toasted pumpkin seeds are ground, they are pureed with that cooked tomatillo mix and white onion. The pumpkin seeds give the sauce a nutty, velvety base. Then the sauce is taken a step further and simmered until it is seasoned, thickened and its flavors have concentrated. It must be powerful, as it will dilute in the pozole. See? The spoon on the left has the green sauce before it is seasoned.

What is common about any pozole is not only the many garnishes that dress it at the end, but also the very large corn known here as hominy, and in Mexico as maí­z cacahuacintle, also known as maí­z mote and giant corn. It gives pozole its signature mealy bite.

Cooking hominy is simple, but takes a while, so it is available already cooked in cans or refrigerated bags if you do not feel like preparing it. This is how it looks when you buy it at the stores before cooking.

But I love to cook it at home. It is as simple as throwing it in a pot, covering it in water and waiting for it to “bloom”.  Literally, when it opens up at the top, you know it’s ready.

GREEN POZOLE
Pozole Verde
Makes 12 to 15 servings

INGREDIENTS
White Pozole
1 pound dried hominy (the same as giant white corn or maiz mote pelado), rinsed)
1 head garlic
2 whole chickens, or about 6 pounds, cut up in serving pieces, rinsed (combine with pork butt or shoulder if desired)
1 onion
Couple fresh cilantro sprigs
1 tbsp kosher or course sea salt, or to taste

Green Pozole Sauce
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
1 to 2 jalapeños, stemmed
1 fresh large leafy stem of epazonte, or 5 sprigs cilantro
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 tsp kosher or sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Garnishes
5 to 6 limes, cut in half
10 radishes, rinsed, halved and thinly sliced
1 head of romaine lettuce, rinsed, drained and thinly sliced
4 tbsp onion, finely chopped
1 avocado, halved, pitted, meat scooped out and dried
Piquí­n Chile, or a Mexican mix of dried chiles, ground
Dried oregano, crumbled
Tostadas or totopos

TO PREPARE
Place the hominy in a large soup pot with cold water at least 3 inches ontop. Take off the dried skin layers from the head of garlic and add it into the pot. Do not add salt, because the hominy will toughen. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer over low medium heat uncovered for 3 hours or until hominy is tender and has begun to “bloom” or open up. Alternatively, you can buy precooked hominy and continue from this point.

In the meantime, place chicken in a large soup pot and cover with at least 1 inch of water above. Add white onion, cilantro and a tablespoon of salt and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked and tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and the bones, and shred the meat into bite size pieces.

Meanwhile, make the green pozole sauce. Place tomatillos, garlic and chile in a medium 3-quart saucepan. Cover with water and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; cook until the tomatillos have changed color from a bright to a dull green and are soft but not breaking apart, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the cooked vegetables and set aside.

In a blender, add toasted pumpkin seeds and chop until finely ground. Then add the cooked tomatillos, jalapeños and garlic, onion, salt and reserved liquid. Puree until smooth. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium high heat until hot. Add the tomatillo sauce from the blender. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 to18 minutes, stirring occasionally, so it will thicken, season and deepen its color.

When the hominy is ready, incorporate the shredded chicken and its cooking broth. Add the green pozole sauce and the epazote or cilantro. Let it cook for 30 minutes more. Check for seasoning -at this point I always add more salt- and serve.

You may present the Pozole in a big soup pot and place the garnishes in smaller bowls on the side. Each person can serve Pozole in their individual soup bowls, and then add as many garnishes to their soup as they would like. I do, however, recommend that some fresh lime juice be squeezed into it! Tostadas or Totopos are eaten on the side.

Even before school started those Friday mornings, there would be one thing in my mind: Tecamacharlie’s top notch Caldo de Camarón. A rich and thick soupy broth made with dried and salted shrimp, and seasoned with a base of Guajillo chile sauce.

A soup so flavorful and filling, it was served as a courtesy as soon as you finally sat down in that incredibly busy and loud place. The waiters brought it out of the kitchen still simmering, served in a little caballito, the little glass shots used to serve Tequila.

There were plump limes already quartered at the table, waiting to be squeezed into the soup before you drank it in one gulp. If you were lucky, the bottom of the shot had a shrimp, and maybe a couple pieces of potato and carrot. Then you could stick your fork or finger in there, to eat those little treasures that tasted like adventures at the sea port. Far away from the City.

That was 20 years ago and I haven’t been back to that Restaurant since those teen years. So I can’t vouch for how good it is these days… Plus, nostalgia has its way of overpowering memories sometimes too.

But one can find that Caldo de Camarón, with slight variations in many restaurants in Mexico city, and it is even more popular throughout the long Mexican coasts.

The latest one I’ve tried and I think even a better one, regardless of the power of nostalgia, is at one of the Guadiana Restaurants, which I always visit each time I go to the city.

As much as I have looked, there is no Caldo de Camarón to be found around DC. But one can find the handful of ingredients that the soup calls for. Although they are just a handful, they have enough personality to power a rock band.

The dried shrimp, of course, pictured above. Which need to be soaked for 5 to 10 minutes, as they have been salted not only to concentrate their flavor but also to preserve them, so the salt is, truly, intense.  Then the shrimp are rinsed and cooked in water, creating a broth which provides the main and matchless flavoring of the soup.

Then, the Guajillo chiles, with their mild heat and crowd pleasing taste. After they are quickly stemmed, seeded and toasted…

…beautifully toasted, really, look at the color…

They are then simmered with one of Mexico’s workhorse combinations: onion, garlic and tomato. Some people add parsley to the mix. Some add Bay Leaf, like me.

That goes into the blender, and then strained into a pot with some hot oil waiting to season the mix.

Once seasoned, in goes that deep amber colored dried shrimp broth.

The traditional cubed potatoes and carrots…

I like to add more than the usual recipes call for, so that neither me nor my guests have to be hunting those little soft chunks in the soup bowl.

When the shrimp have cooled, remove their heads, tails, and legs. Most cooks keep the shells on. They are a salty and crunchy addition in the soup. However, you can remove the shells if you feel like it. For a softer feel. Then cook for 10 more minutes so all of the flavors can come together.

Do serve the soup really hot. And always, always, always, have fresh limes ready to be squeezed in the soup.

That fresh squeezed lime juice is what makes all of the flavors in the soup, truly shine.

CALDO DE CAMARON (DRIED SHRIMP SOUP)
Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
1 pound Mexican dried shrimp
3 oz guajillo chiles (about 8-10 chiles)
1/4 pound ripe tomatoes
1 garlic clove
2 bay leaves
1 oz slice of onion, or about 3 tablespoons, roughly chopped
1 pound potatoes, rinsed, peeled and cubed
1/2 pound carrots, rinsed, peeled and cubed
3 to 4 limes
2 tbsp oil

TO PREPARE
Cover the shrimp with cold water, and let sit for 15 minutes. Drain the shrimp, rinse them and place them in a medium pot. Cover the shrimp with 10 cups of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once at a simmer, lower the medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the broth, reserving both the broth and the shrimp. Allow everything to cool.

Once the shrimp have cooled, remove the heads, tails and legs from the shrimp. Be sure to keep the shells on the shrimp if you want them to add some crunch to the soup.

Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and place them on a hot comal. Toast until their color changes to opaque, for about 10 to 15 seconds and flip to the other side.

Place the chiles, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, and onion into a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat, then puree until smooth.

Over medium heat, add two tablespoons of oil to a large soup pot. Strain the puree over the oil and then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat, allowing the puree to season and thicken.

Add the shrimp broth, potatoes, carrots, and shrimp to the puree and simmer for 10 minutes over medium-high heat.

Serve the soup with fresh lime to drizzle over the top.

But not many people are wild about Favas, Habas in Spanish. Different from pasta or potatoes, Favas haven’t gone mainstream.

Okay. I can see why.

First, the fact that they come in many forms can be confusing (fresh in their pod, fresh out of the pod, dried with their skin on, or dried and peeled). Also, the ways to cook them in their different forms haven’t been widely publicized. On top of that, Favas have a strong flavor that can be overpowering, and to some, hard to bear.

Now, bear with me here. If you know what form of Favas to get for which kind of dish, the confusion is almost gone. With the right recipe, the confusion evaporates further and their overpowering flavor is tamed. Thus… beloved cooks, Favas become what they must:
filling, rich, wholesome and deliciously intense.

Since we are almost in the middle of winter, and I started talking about my mother’s soup, let’s consider dried Favas which can be found year round
and store forever in your pantry (fresh ones are found from Spring to Summer).

You can find them with shells on, like these on top. They are pretty, but you need to soak them, cook them and peel them. Quoting my mother: “Ay no Pati, eso de pelar una por una es una monserga” (translates to something like: peeling them one by one is a pain).

If you are looking for a relaxing therapy that will take hours, that’s fine. If you are not, go for the already peeled dried Favas, like the ones below. They don’t look as pretty, but have more personality.

To cook: Soak them in cold water anywhere from 2 to 12 hours. If you forgot to soak them, they will take a bit longer to cook, that’s all.

Now, drain them and place them in a pot with chicken broth and let them simmer, with the cover ajar, for about 50 to 55 minutes. They will be soft, thoroughly cooked and coming apart. That’s what you want.

See the broth? Its thick and lightly hay colored. Soothing looking already…

Next step, seasoning base: tomatoes, onion and garlic. My mom makes a rustic kind of soup. She chops the tomatoes, onion and garlic, cooks them with a little oil for 5 minutes and adds it to the cooked Fava beans and broth.

I prefer a more smooth version of the soup because:
a) It lets me trick my monsters into eating the beans.
b) It looks more fancy if I want to serve it to guests.
c) With this cold, I find it much more comforting.
d) I like creamy things, so let me indulge myself.

So, I puree the fava beans with the broth once they are ready.

As for the seasoning base, with the blender in working mode, I puree the tomatoes with the onion and the garlic too….

Cook that nice and thick puree over medium high heat for 5 or 6 minutes, until it thickens and darkens its color. Which means that the ingredients have seasoned and transformed from having a raw flavor to a cooked one.

Pour the fava bean and chicken broth puree right on top of that seasoned tomato base. Add salt, pepper, a pinch of cumin and let it all come together and season for about 10 more minutes.

Meanwhile, slice some bolillos, teleras or baguettes.

Brush them with a light coat of olive oil, on both sides, if you must. Toast them until tanned and crispy.

With the soup seasoned and thickened, you are ready to pour it into a bowl.

Lay a piece of toast right on top…

Crown it with some Pasilla chile crisps if you want an extra layer of flavorful crunch (see recipe below).

And jump in.

Just watch as that piece of toast jumps in along with me.

And if this blog had sound you would have heard the toast crack in the midst of that Fava bean bath…

And yes it is fabulous! What are you waiting for?

FAVA BEAN SOUP WITH CRUNCHY TOAST AND PASILLA CRISPS
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
1 pound Fava beans, peeled and dried
12 cups chicken broth
1 pound ripe Roma tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons safflower oil, corn or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of cumin
2 Pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into small strips and quickly fried
6 diagonal slices of Bolillo, Telera or Baguette, lightly brushed with oil and toasted
Olive oil to brush over the toast

TO PREPARE
In a bowl, cover the lima beans with cold water and let them soak anywhere from 2 hours to overnight. Drain. Place the lima beans and chicken broth in a large soup pot set over medium heat. Let it come to a medium simmer with the lid ajar and cook until the beans are thoroughly cooked and tender, about 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them cool a little bit. Puree in batches in the blender. Place in a container or a large bowl.

Meanwhile, puree the tomatoes along with the onion and garlic until smooth. In a large soup pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, but not smoking, pour in the tomato puree. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until it deepens in color and thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes. Pour in the lime bean puree. Sprinkle the salt and black pepper, and continue cooking for about 8 to 10 minutes, until all of the flavors have combined.

Ladle the soup in individual bowls. Garnish with a piece of toast, brushed with olive oil, and sprinkle some crunchy chile strips on top.

Note: to make the Chile crisps, quickly fry the chile pieces in a saute pan with 1/4″ oil set over medium heat. Once oil is hot but not smoking, quickly fry the crisps, literally 2 seconds, remove and place on a plate covered with paper towel.

A soup that makes me feel all warm inside when I spoon it into my mouth.

A soup that has the earthiness and simplicity that grounds me.

A soup that, aside from having a comforting base, has layers of surprising life and color and crunch.

A soup that makes me want to eat nothing else for an entire week.

A soup that speaks of centennial traditions and is passed down through generations recipes.

A soup that is a pleasure to think about, to write about, to talk about, to prepare and to savor.

It is mostly because I want to share a soup like this with you, dear friends, that I am jumping to write this cookbook.

So with great news to share: I will be working with the delightful Rux Martin, editor at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, to make this cookbook come to life.

In this book, I will write about -and tell you how to make- all of those foods that make me want to scream out of joy, along with the stories that revolve around them.

So here you go, for this Fall season, which has already galloped in front of me as I was barely putting away my monsters’ bathing suits: The Sopa Tarasca. One of my favorite soups in the whole entire world.

As with many Mexican dishes, it has a base of tomato, onion and a bit of garlic.

But it also has the addition of the prune like, exuberant flavor of the Ancho chile.

After those ingredients are cooked, pureed and seasoned, they are mixed with a bean puree…

and chicken broth…

As if that earth shattering base wasn’t enough, this soup is garnished, to your liking with Queso Fresco…

Tortilla crisps.…

Ripe avocado chunks…

And the tangy and salty notes from Mexican cream…

Of course you can toss in some Chile crisps in there too…

From the Purépechas -also known as Tarascos- who inhabit the mountainous regions of the soulful state of Michoacán, and after whom this soup was named in its colonial capital of Morelia where I have eaten it one too many times, to the city of Washington DC in the United States of America, where I make it regularly for my Mexican American family: and hopefully it will find a place at your table too.

I lost my breath in that sentence…

Enjoy!

p.s. If you have any Mexican food craving, just name the dish, I will try to make a page for it in that cookbook.

TARASCAN BEAN AND TOMATO SOUP
Makes 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
Soup
6 cups of bean puree
1 pound ripe plum or roma tomatoes
1 garlic clove
1 ancho chili, about 1 ounce, steam and seeds removed
1/2 cup white onion, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, add more to taste

Garnishes
4 corn tortillas, cut in half and into strips, fried until lightly golden or toasted
1/2 cup cotija or queso fresco cheese, crumbled (farmers cheese, ricotta salata, mild feta or shredded mozzarella cheese may be substituted)
1/2 cup fresh Mexican cream(heavy cream or cream fraiche may by substituted)
1 ancho chili, stem and seeds removed, cut into thin strips, flash fried (optional)
1 avocado, peeled, seeded, flesh scooped out and diced

TO PREPARE
Place the tomatoes, garlic, and the seeded and stemmed ancho chili in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until tomatoes are completely cooked through. Once the tomato mix cools down, place it in a blender or food processor with a cup of the cooking liquid, the raw white onion and a teaspoon of the salt; puree until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the tomato puree and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it darkens in color and thickens in consistency. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the bean puree and broth or water, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the soup has seasoned and has a creamy consistency. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Turn off the heat as it thickens quickly.

The soup without the added garnishes may be cooled and stored in a closed container and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Since it thickens a bit as it cools, you may need to add some chicken broth or water to thin it out when you reheat it.

Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle on top a tablespoon each of cream and cheese, a handful of tortilla strips, a few fried chili strips and some diced avocado. You can also place garnishes in bowls on the table to let your guests garnish to their liking.

What a surprise for such a tasty soup: just a handful of ingredients! Seems that what matters, again, is how you use them.

Doña Rosita told me she has tweaked her recipe through time. Also, she sometimes tops it with tortilla crisps, and sometimes with fresh croutons. Depends on the mood. But she always serves it with crumbled Queso Fresco. There you go! Another thing you can do with that Mexican Fresh Cheese, aside from a Green Salad and Enfrijoladas.

It is easy, tasty and sounds oh… so… fancy. Plus, it is wholesome. The only thing I added to Doña Rosita’s recipe, is some fresh lime juice. I couldn’t help it. So check it out, this is how it goes:

Chop a cupful of onion and add it to the already melted butter and hot oil.

Cook the onion over low heat, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it has gone from white, to translucent, to starting to brown around the edges.

See the onion down here, it is rendering and deepening its flavors…

Add some fresh cilantro. Or if you are one of those people that can’t stand cilantro, add another green herb of your choice: parsley, chives, tarragon or a combination, time to play!

Cook the cilantro just until it has begun to wilt. It will be under a minute, just a stir here and there. We don’t want it to brown.

Then, scoop the fresh avocado meat out. A main tip to making this recipe be as delicious as it can be, is to use ripe, meaty avocados. So if that avocado is not giving in to your hold as you gently squeeze, it is not ready for you. Let it ripen some more. Make the soup another day.

If you have ripe avocados, cut in half, remove the seed, scoop the meat out and push it into the blender. You could add a bit of Chile too, Jalapeño, or Serrano. Though Doña Rosita doesn’t.

Now go ahead and add all that almost sweetened and browned onion, along with the wilted cilantro into the blender. Yep, along with whatever oil and butter remains too…

Pour in some chicken broth. Home made or store bought. You can substitute for vegetable broth as well… Though I always go for the former.

For my spin, take out your lime squeezer and add some fresh lime juice right in there too. You can try it without as well and then you get Doña Rosita’s take on the soup.

Sprinkle some Kosher or Sea salt… and puree it all.

If you want the soup “al tiempo”, or lukewarm, pour it right into your bowls. If you want to serve it cold, cover and refrigerate for a couple hours. Now, if you want it hot, you can as well! Just puree it with some hot chicken broth in the prior step… Talk about an accommodating soup.

Sprinkle a few, or a ton, corn tortilla crisps.

I guess I went for a ton.

Sprinkle some tangy and salty Queso Fresco…

…and why not? You can decorate it with a slice of creamy and ripe avocado right on top.

If you do, sprinkle a bit of salt on it… Fresh avocado always seems to beg for a little salt…

There you go… A smooth, fresh, wholesome and tasty soup, with some crunchy tortilla crisps and a tangy bite from the Queso Fresco in every bite.

I already had some…

AVOCADO SOUP WITH TORTILLA CRISPS AND FRESH CHEESE
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon corn or safflower oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup white onion, roughly chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and loosely packed
1 jalapeno chili, sliced in half, seeding optional if less heat is desired, optional
3 large ripe Mexican or Hass avocados, cut in half, seedremoved, flesh spooned out (about 3 cups ripe avocado flesh)
6 cups chicken broth (can substitute vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon fresh lime or lima (sweet lime) juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, more or less to taste
1 1/2 cups tortilla crisps
1 cup queso fresco, crumbled (may substitute farmers cheese or a mild feta)

TO PREPARE
In a medium skillet, set over medium-low heat and add the butter and oil.  Once the butter dissolves, stir in the onion and jalapeno.  Let them cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened,.  Its color will become translucent and the edges will begin to turn light brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.  Incorporate the cilantro leaves and mix them in with the onions and jalapeno.  Once the cil
antro has wilted, 30 seconds to a minute later, turn off the heat.

Place the peeled and seeded avocados in the blender or food processor along with the cooked onion, jalapeno, cilantro, chicken broth, lime or lima juice and salt.  Puree until smooth, taste for salt and add more if need be.

You may serve bowls garnished with tortilla crisps and cheese, or let your guests garnish to their liking.

Avocados are, to me, amongst the most sensuous, luscious and luxurious of ingredients.  Add how delicious, soft and subtly flavored they are, and you get a clear winner for Valentine’s Day.Despite the many pounds of avocados we go through at home each week, regardless of the infinite number of cases I use for events at Washington, DC’s Mexican Cultural Institute, and  notwithstanding that my sisters and I used them for hair and face treatments as we were growing up (all those nurturing natural oils and vitamins), I still find avocados to be wow-inducing.

If there’s an avocado dish on a restaurant menu, it lands on my table.

So if I am planning a menu, especially with a hint of romance, avocados will be there…

 I am not unique thinking that avocados are something special. To the Aztecs, who ate avocados in Mexico for centuries before the Spaniards arrived, they were revered fruit considered to have strong fertility and aphrodisiac powers. Indeed, the Spanish word aguacate comes from the Nahuatl ahuacatl, or “testicles,” presumbly in reference to their shape. The avocado was warmly welcomed in the countries where it was introduced. And thanks in part to its accomodating nature – its meat can be smashed, diced, pureed, stuffed or sliced, or it can be part of a filling or a centerpiece – it has been creatively adopted in many cuisines.

It is true that many people think of guacamole when they hear “avocado.” And there must be more than a thousand reasons to love guacamole. Fast and easy to make, and so fun to eat, it screams out fiesta with each bite. My favorite way to make guacamole is to mix diced avocado with chopped onion and cilantro, squeeze fresh lime juice on top, sprinkle with sea salt and top it off with chopped chipotle chilis in adobo.

Guacamole, though, is just the tip of the avocado iceberg, both inside and outside Mexican cuisine.

Think about eel-and-avocado sushi, a French salad with layers of avocado sprinkled with Roquefort cheese, or an Italian salad with layers of ripe avocado and ash-coated goat cheese, olive oil, coarse salt and basil leaves. It’s hard to imagine a vegetarian sandwich without avocados.

Avocados are a fruit that ripen off the tree, so they are often sold unripe. If you are in a hurry to use an avocado, you can hasten the ripening process by wrapping it in newspapers or keeping it in a paper bag in a warm area of the kitchen. If you can wait, it will ripen at a nice pace uncovered in the kitchen.

Stuffed Avocados with Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Salad
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS
14 ounces (1 1/3 cups) hearts of palm, drained, rinsed and sliced
14 ounces (1 1/2 cups) artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and sliced
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
4 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground, or more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil
3 ripe Hass avocados, halved and seeded just before stuffing

TO PREPARE
In a bowl, mix the hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, red onion, red bell pepper and parsley.

To prepare the vinaigrette, pour the tarragon vinegar in a small bowl and mix it with the salt, sugar and black pepper. Pour the oils in a slow stream, whisking with a whisk or fork to emulsify. Pour it over the vegetables. Toss well to cover.

You may prepare the hearts of palm and artichoke salad ahead of time, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

When ready to eat, halve and seed the avocados. Scoop the hearts of palm and artichoke salad on top and serve.

Avocado, Pistachio and Watercress Mousse
Serves 14-16

INGREDIENTS
3 ripe Hass avocados(about 2 1/4 pounds), halved and seeded
2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
8 ounces cream cheese
1 bunch watercress(about 1 cup), leaves and top parts of stems chopped
2 tablespoon sliced scallions(about 6), white and light green parts only
8-ounce can (2/3 cup) water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped
2/3 cup pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, ground, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
2/3 cup cold water
3 1/4 ounce envelope unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup boiling water
Olive oil to grease the mold
Toasted bread or crackers, optional
Smoked salmon, optional

TO PREPARE
Scoop out meat from avocados and mash it in a bowl with a fork. Pour in lime juice and combine well with a spatula. Incorporate the cream cheese, mixing it thoroughly with the avocados. Add the watercress, scallions, water chestnuts, pistachios, cayenne, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Mix well.

Measure 2/3 cup cold water in a cup. Stir in the gelatin, mix and let it rehydrate for a minute or two. Add 1/3 cup boiling water and stir until it dissolves. Pour gelatin into the avocado mix, incorporating it with a spatula.

Lightly grease a ring mold with olive oil. Pour the avocado mix into the mold. Shake the mold softly a couple of times to level the mix. Cover it well and place it in the refrigerator until it is set, for at least 3 hours. You can leave it overnight or until you are ready to unmold. The avocado mousse will last beautifully in the refrigerator for 2 days. When ready to unmold, remove from the refrigerator, run the tip of a knife along the edges and flip onto a plate. You may need to shake the mold a couple of times, holding onto the plate as you do so.

You may serve it on a platter, retro style, with some watercress leaves in the center of the ring or on top. Or serve it already sliced with a side of smoked salmon and pieces of toast.

AVOCADO SOUP WITH TORTILLA CRISPS AND FRESH CHEESE
Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon corn or safflower oil
1 1/4 cup white onion, roughly chopped
1 jalapeño chili, sliced in half, seeding optional if less heat is desired, optional
3 large ripe Hass avocados(about 2 1/4 pounds), halved, seeded, meat scooped out
3/4 cup cilantro leaves, rinsed and loosely packed
6 cups chicken broth(may substitute vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, more or less to taste
1 1/2 cups tortilla crisps(see below)
1 cup queso fresco, crumbled (may substitute farmers cheese or a mild feta)

TO PREPARE
Heat butter and oil in a medium skillet set over medium-low. Once butter melts and bubbles, stir in the onion and jalapeno. Cook, stirring periodically, until the onion has softened and become translucent, and the edges are beginning to brown lightly, 12 to 15 minutes. Add cilantro leaves to the pan. Once cilantro has wilted, 30 seconds to a minute later, turn off the heat.

Place avocado in the blender or food processor along with the cooked onion and jalapeno mixture, broth, lime juice and salt. Puree until smooth, taste for salt and add more if necessary.

You may serve in bowls garnished with tortilla crisps and cheese, or let your guests add garnishes to their liking.

Tortilla Crisps
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS
5 corn tortillas(5 to 6 inches wide)
Safflower or corn oil
1/2 teaspoon table salt, more or less to taste

TO PREPARE
On a chopping board, slice tortillas in half and then vertically in half again. Then slice across in strips of 1/4 to 1/2 inch, depending on how thick you like them.

Traditional (fried): In a medium skillet, add 1/4 inch oil and place over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes, add tortilla pieces. When you add a tortilla to the oil, it should immediately start to bubble. Fry, stirring and flipping occasionally, until they achieve a golden tan and slightly brown color and are hard and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with paper towel. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Baked: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or gently brush a baking sheet with corn or safflower oil. Place tortilla pieces on top and spray or gently brush a light layer of oil. Judiciously sprinkle with salt to taste.Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring and flipping once or twice until they achieve a golden tan and slightly brown color and appear hard and crisp.Remove from oven, let them cool and place in a bowl or container.

CHOPPED EGG AND AVOCADO SANDWICH
Serves 3 to 4

INGREDIENTS
3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill, or 1/4 teaspoon dry dill
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 large ripe Hass avocado(about 3/4 pound), halved, seeded, meat scooped out and diced
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, more or less to taste
Black pepper, ground, to taste
6 to 8 slices brioche or challah, or any bread of your choice, lightly toasted
4 slices Muenster, Mexican manchego or chihuahua or Monetery Jack cheese(optional)

TO PREPARE
In a bowl, mix the eggs, onion, parsley, dill, Dijon and mayonnaise together. Toss in the avocado, sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently mix well.

Lightly toast the bread slices. Scoop a generous amount of the chopped egg and avocado on a slice of bread, add a slice of cheese and top with another slice of bread.